Improvement in car-couplings



' jaws for locking the coupling-pin. -vention consists, principally, in combining UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. OROSTHVAIT, OF MURFREESBOROUGH, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-couPLlNes.V

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,039, dated February 1H, 1873.

. spending parts.

This invention relates to a new car-coupling, which is provided with two seltacting The inthese two jaws, which Work from opposite sides of the draw-head, within-weighted lever, which serves yto hold them automatically closed, and insures their simultaneous motion apart or toward each other for uncouplin g and coupling.

A. in the drawing represents the draw-head and buifer ot"`a railroad car. The same isapplied in suitable manner, and can be made of any desired size to be of proper strength. This buffer is slottedtransversely for thereception of two jaws or plates, B and O,which enter such slots from opposite sides, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1. y D is a lever pivoted at a to the top of the bu'er. Bya pin, b, this lever is directly connected with the upper jaw B. The lower jaw O has an arm or shank, d, which-extends up, and is, by a' pin, e, pivotcd to the lever D, all 'as clearly shown in Fig. 1. From the same ligure it will ap pear that the pivot a of the lever is about equidistant from and between the jaw-pivots b and e, so that when the lever is swung up both jaws will be simultaneously drawn apart. When, however, the lever, by its own Weight, rests upon the bul'er, it holds the two jaws together closed over the head f of the couplingpin E. The head of the pin E is conical, so that it will, when forced against the closed jaws, wedge between and open the same, they being recessed toI admit the head of the pin, and thus automatically couple the car, the jaws closing in front of the head f as quick as the same has passed them.

l The mouth of the buffer is made liaring outwardly, so that when two cars of dilerent heights should meet they will be properly coupled as long as the coupling-pinof one comes in line with any part ofthe buier of the other car. A`

The` lever D is or may be connected with suitable handles or devices for moving it to uncouple the car, and may, instead of resting horizontally on top of the buffer, be suspendfeet.

On freight-cars the lever D is to be con nected to a rod, which is to be attached at the point indicated by the little rudiment in the drawing. This rod runs to the top of the car, and after the cars are coupled the rod is to be securely fastened, the fastening to be under the eye of the brakesman or other proper person.

In the complete machine no extra weight will be necessary on the lever, and from the point at which the rod is connected, the rerod furnishing all the Weight necessary.

to extend the lever so as to reach to the pillar ot' the railing of the platform, and there attach the perpendicular rod.

This rod is as much a part of the machine as any other, as it not only locks the coupling, but is the only means of uncoupling.

In case it should be desired to have thc lever work perpendicularly, it will be necessary to have a spring to keep it in working order when not in actual use, but the fastening oi' the rod and not the spring will be the reliance to secure the coupling.

as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The lever D pivoted at a, provided with slotted jaw B and slotted lever d, having jaw O, in combination with buffer A, when all are constructed, arranged, and operated as shown and described.

GEO. D. CROSTHWAIT.

Witnesses:

E. D. HANCOCK,

B. F. ALEXANDER.

ed vertically with substantially the same efmainder of the lever is dispensed with, the

Upon a passenger-car it will be necessary' Having thus described my invention, I claim A 

